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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24396748">AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeekingOutDaily/pseuds/GeekingOutDaily'>GeekingOutDaily</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Domestic Bliss [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged Up, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Feminist Queen Max, Flighty But Trying Her Best Karen Wheeler, Let Me Shower You With Affection Mike Wheeler, Mike Loves To Share, Partial University AU, Slow Burn, Vine reference, Withdrawn Will Byers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:40:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,144</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24396748</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeekingOutDaily/pseuds/GeekingOutDaily</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Perhaps living with Mike wouldn't be so bad. It was certainly better than her previous arrangements. He was nice, he cooked sometimes, and he hadn't hit on her or made any leering comments in the ten minutes that they'd known each other.<br/>Promising prospects.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eleven | Jane Hopper &amp; Mike Wheeler, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Domestic Bliss [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1837855</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>80</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I Just Called To Say</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Mike and El had never met, because only recently Hopper and Joyce married, causing El to join the fam. Shortly thereafter, Hopper had a heart attack and is no longer in the picture.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was raining.<br/>
Of course it was raining. Is it truly an emotional breakdown if it's sunny outside?<br/>
El was slightly comforted by the rain drops hitting her face. It made her feel like perhaps she didn't look as miserable as she felt. Perhaps a passer-by wouldn't even notice the tear tracks down her cheeks, and would automatically assume she was just the kind of person who ran out of the house without an umbrella, or at the very least a sensible raincoat. Better that than they assume that she's the kind of person to run out of her apartment, with no back up plan, no living arrangements, only the clothes on her back and a sense of desperation propelling her forward. Stumbling through the streets, El managed to find herself at a payphone, taking the blessed reprieve from the rain falling around the stall. She fished a quarter out of her pocket, thankful that at least she had the clarity to take what little money she had with her. She paused before letting the coin roll into the slot.<br/>
Who could she call? Joyce couldn't do anything. Too far away. She could provide words of comfort and pity, but little besides.<br/>
Benny's number? She could just walk over and save the toll for the call. That was actually a good idea. She'd call someone, and once she knew where to go she'd stop on the way and get a meal.<br/>
Only one thing left to figure out. Where was she going to live now?<br/>
El wasn't usually so impulsive, hardly what one would call 'hotheaded' or 'careless'. On the contrary. Most would characterize her as very quiet at first. Very honest, but never purposely cruel and 'in-your-face'.<br/>
So what was quiet, careful, sweet El supposed to do, now that she had run out (truthfully, escaped) from her previous living arrangement?</p><p>....</p><p>Will!<br/>
The idea struck her in a moment of clarity. Close by, reliable, won't ask too many questions, won't judge, and always seemed to have the answer to delicate situations.<br/>
Calling Will Byers would be a stellar move, she quickly concluded.<br/>
Letting the quarter roll down its designated track, El dialed Will's number.<br/>
He answered after only two rings, allowing El to let go of the breath she hadn't known she was holding.<br/>
"Hi! It's El." She quickly spoke as soon as she registered Will's usual hello.<br/>
"Hi El," he politely returned, "how are you?"<br/>
"That's actually why I'm calling," she hurried to get to the point of her call, "I sort of don't have a place to sleep, do you know where I might be able to stay for a while?"<br/>
"Um," he sounded taken aback, "uh."<br/>
A beat of tense silence passed before he fully processed the entirety of her sentence.<br/>
"Wait!" He exclaimed, "that's actually perfect!"<br/>
"It is?" El winced at his admission.<br/>
"No no, sorry that came out all wrong. It's just, Mike was complaining to me just last night that he needs a roommate to qualify for his low-rent thing, and that it'd be impossible to find a roommate this late in the semester, that he'd probably get stuck with some weirdo that got kicked out of the dorms."<br/>
El frowned at the description. It didn't really sound perfect to her. Was she really any different than some freshman who couldn't adjust to joint living? Will's friend might be disappointed to have some other weirdo coming to live with him on such short notice. But it sounded like a room. Maybe even an apartment. And she wasn't exactly in the position to decline any offers right now. So she thanked Will profusely and asked for the address, rehashing that Mike would indeed be fine with some random girl showing up with the intent to stay?<br/>
"Don't worry," Will assured her, "I'll call him right now and let him know that you're on your way. Just don't get your hopes up, there's a reason the rent is low for the place."<br/>
With the promise of a bed to sleep in tonight, a bathroom to cry in silently, El let out a sigh of relief. Crisis averted.<br/>
Taking in a deep breath, El prepared herself for an adventure.<br/>
First stop: Benny's, with the hope of a hot meal and some time to realise how dumb she must be, blindly agreeing to live with a man she's never met. At least Will knew the guy, and knew she was going over there. He definitely would not let her be murdered by some sketchy guy.<br/>
Marching towards her new destiny, she followed the familiar trail to Benny's. Her place of work was currently a source of solace. Familiar faces and known surroundings would greet her on her way to the unknown.<br/>
With her doubts playing out in her mind, El embarked on her new journey. She could do this. Will had saved her. She would be okay.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. You're Just Too Good To Be True</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>El meets her destiny, and enters what may be her new home.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>El was happy to work at Benny's. The establishment itself wasn't particularly exciting, or intellectually stimulating. The work was repetitive and there were more regulars than passing customers. But it felt very safe to El. She knew the regulars, knew their order and knew whether they were the type to call her 'sweetheart' or not. It helped that Benny, a man slightly resembling a grizzly bear in his dimensions, owned the place and was frequently around. He always had a reassuring smile in store for El, and once, when he had caught her crying behind the diner after she got the news of Hopper's passing, he gave her a bone-crushing-heart-warming bear hug. He definitely wasn't her knight on a white horse, but he was her very own dragon, keeping unruly customers in line and providing the security of scaring off the creeps with his menacing stature.<br/>El knew he had a soft spot for her, and felt some of the tension in her stomach relax as she neared the diner. This was a safe haven.<br/>She spotted him upon entering, talking to a customer casually, his cook's apron already stained with the oil of that day's fries and burgers. El quietly slipped to the back, hoping not to arouse any attention in her current situation. The last thing she needed was middle aged men commenting on her appearance. She knew she looked like a drowned rat, and she didn't care to discuss it at the moment.<br/>She helped herself to some fries that were left out on the counter, keeping an eye on Benny and his conversation buddy. She'd rather avoid any confrontation if possible.<br/>Alas, Benny had other plans. He turned his head to the side, still half listening, and caught a glimpse of someone gorging themselves beyond the order till.<br/>"Hey!" He yelled.<br/>El's head shot up at the sound, her jittery nerves causing her to suspiciously slink out of view, rather than simply answer back - 'Hey Benny, it's me, your employee, just doing my best not to cause any trouble.'<br/>El knew it was irrational to hide, especially since Benny would soon find her, but her heartbeat still raced as she searched for a way to simply escape the situation and avoid confrontation.<br/>Benny found her, crouched in the corner of the kitchen, trembling and visibly distraught. Surprised at her appearance, his eyebrows furrowed.<br/>"El? Watcha doin' here kid? You don't have a shift today. I thought you were some no good street rat, the way you bolted. Why you scarin' me like that?" He chuckled at the end of his inquiry, realising that there was no miscreant to throw out, only his loyal waitress sneaking around the back for some reason.<br/>El's eyes were wide with fear still, her body slow to realise that there was no reason for her panic.<br/>"Sorry," she swallowed, moving to get up from her crouched position on the floor, "Didn't mean to worry you, I was just hungry and right here and... I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd mind if I had some of the scraps lying around."<br/>Benny smiled at her, stretching out his large hand to help her up. "Don't mind at all. C'mon, I'll fry up an extra burger if you're already here."<br/>El welcomed the invitation with only a twinge of guilt, for giving Benny a scare with her initial entrance. She nodded in acceptance, happy to have a real meal.<br/>Happily munching on her burger, El realised that now was the time, Benny's was a stop on the way, she reminded herself. Promising to herself that as soon as she'd thanked Benny for the food she'd be on her way, El polished off the burger and the side of fries he'd snuck in with her order as well.<br/>Exiting the diner, El waved goodbye to Benny and began her search for Mike's. She knew where the street was, but hadn't spent much time in the area. After a few missteps and one unnecessary circle around a large building complex, El found herself at fate's doorstep. Alright, it was Mike's doorstep and she was pretty sure fate would have a more distinctive entryway, but it still felt momentous.<br/>Steeling herself, El tried to imagine who would open the door. If he was friends with Will, maybe they were similar, and she could revel in the privacy and quiet that would fill the household. Perhaps he would be the kind of guy that prides himself in never doing "girly" chores, and she'd end up doing all the cooking. And what if he's the kind of guy that has girls over all the time? The type who has one night stand after the other, and she'd just learn to make herself scarce. Ugh, what if he's a complete slob? What if he's the type of guy that "accidentally" brushes your ass when he thinks you've turned your back?<br/>No. El mentally chastised herself. Will would never set her up with some sleaze. She tried to hope for the best. Maybe he'd be her prince charming, and would be a perfect gentleman. Maybe he'd look like a movie star and charm her with his suave moves.<br/>With these thoughts, El mustered up the courage to raise her fist, and knock twice, firmly. She heard rustling and tried to see through the small window off the side, perhaps she'd solve the mystery of Mike before she even met him.<br/>The door swung open before she could catch a glimpse, revealing her mystery man.<br/>She smiled to herself. Okay, so maybe not a suave movie star. The man who greeted her was far from anything one might describe as 'smooth'.<br/>The first thing she noticed about him was that he was tall. Very tall. She had to crane her neck a bit to take in his face. And the hair. Wow. That was a lot of hair. Dark, thick, long, wavy hair. It kind of fit him. Big hair, big facial features, tall guy.<br/>From the moment he opened his mouth she realised that his personality must be big too. Big enough to fit the rest of his body. Enthusiastic, for sure.<br/>He smiled widely at her. "Hi!" He said brightly, "you must be El. Will warned me that you were coming. Not warned, like, in a bad way, he just... Anyway Will said you'd show up and that you're gonna stay, right?" He smiled hopefully at her, as if she was doing him the favour, as if he was not literally taking in a stranger, saving her from sleeping in the streets.<br/>El nodded shyly, a little overwhelmed by Mike's bubbly demeanor.<br/>"Mike?" She asked for confirmation. He knew who she was, she just wanted to make sure that she knew what she was walking into.<br/>"Sorry! Yeah, I should have introduced myself." he smacked his forehead as if to punish himself for his mistake. "I'm Mike. Wheeler. Michael Wheeler actually. Only no one really calls me that. Right, you should come in," he blithely invited her, "sit down, I'll explain the whole... Thing." He gestured that the Thing he'd explain was the living situation, apparently.<br/>El entered timidly, unsure what awaited her. It didn't seem too bad so far, Mike seemed more excited than sleazy. Definitely didn't give off any serial-killer vibes.<br/>They moved to sit by the couch. El curled into herself, taking in the interior of the apartment. Mike sat facing her. She found it was a little easier to look at him when they were sitting down. Mike quickly launched into his long winded explanation.<br/>"So, the apartment, right. Uh, I go to University of Indiana, and I got into this amazing Masters program, it's got a great scholarship and stuff, and... Wait, sorry, that sounded like I was bragging. I just really like school, and this way I can learn... More. Anyway, they got us these apartments, but they came with a catch, you see. We need to each have a roommate, someone from outside the program. They said it would "encourage socialising between different peer groups and expand our social interactive skills in a safe setting" but what they really mean is that we need to make friends that aren't complete nerds like us, and have interests that aren't fictional." He rattled off, gesticulating widely to punctuate his thoughts. "And Will already lives with Dustin, and Lucas doesn't even go here, so I was completely out of options. Until you came along." He gestured to her with a wide smile, his excitement infectious. El could feel herself slightly grinning, albeit her nerves.<br/>"So basically, you totally saved me." He finished the tale with a flourish,  shrugging at the simplicity of the solution. "So anyway, what's your story? I know you're sort of Will's sister, and that you guys aren't super close. And that your name is El. But that's pretty much it."<br/>It was clear from the audible pause in his speech that this was her cue to fill in the blanks. Only, she was still filling them in herself. Stick to the facts, she figured. Start off easy.<br/>"Well, like you said my name is El. I'm the same age as you guys, and grew up in Chicago. I work at Benny's, not far from here. The apartment I was staying at didn't work out. And now I'm here."<br/>All true things. Maybe "didn't work out" was a bit of an understatement, but he didn't need to be burdened by the details. "Grew up" was a bit of a stretch considering her experiences in Chicago, but people didn't usually respond well to "was tossed around, sometimes hanging around my drug-addict paranoid mother". And she definitely worked at Benny's. That was 100% true.<br/>A beat of silence passed while Mike looked at El, waiting for her to continue. After a moment he realised she was finished. "Oh," he seemed kind of surprised at her limited lifestory. "Cool." At least he didn't say anything about it.<br/>Another moment passed, and El started to worry that she had said the wrong things, or not enough things, as she was often guilty of.<br/>Mike shook his head suddenly, realising he was staring. "Right, so I should give you the tour." He moved to start the short walk around the apartment, but realised quickly that he was getting ahead of himself. "Wait, let's bring in your bags, sorry, I got kind of caught up in this whole thing."<br/>El stared at him, before standing up herself and admitting quietly: "I don't have any bags with me."<br/>Mike's brows furrowed, not understanding her meaning. "Oh. Well, where's all your stuff then? Need help moving out first?"<br/>El was warmed by his readiness to help her at any given moment, but shook her head. "No," she said, "I don't have anything."<br/>Mike was truly confounded by that. Where had this girl come from? Did she mean to say that she didn't even have a toothbrush?<br/>Attempting to smooth out the awkward predicament, Mike was quick to resolve. She could use his things. He assured her, he really did have too much stuff and it was absolutely no trouble to share his sheets. This way they'd just do all the laundry together, and it would end up saving time.<br/>El couldn't believe he was real. She had clearly dropped into his life out of nowhere, some homeless girl with nothing of her own, and here he was, offering literally everything to her, as if it was no big deal at all.<br/>She considered pinching herself, but if this was all a dream she wasn't completely sure she wanted to wake up.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Don't get used to the daily updates, but Mike and Eleven literally own my heart and writing inspiration. Love the comments, they definitely motivate me to update faster.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Feel The Rain On Your Face</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>El and Mike start settling into life together, stumbling through the first steps of their cohabitation.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for all the comments and support! Hope you enjoy the latest installment.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>In an alternate universe, Mike must’ve been a seasoned tour-guide, as became increasingly apparent through his explanations. He was careful to point out how the hot water boiler worked, proudly showing his newfound expertise, having only moved in a week earlier. El admired the way he took the time to fully explain any tricky appliances, without making it seem as if she was some idiot that did not know, in fact, how to use a washing machine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Considering the cheapness of the home, El was pleasantly surprised to find that it was not lacking in utilities. She couldn’t wait to take a hot shower, washing away the day’s events. Mike came to the end of his welcome tour, the pair standing in the bedroom he had claimed as his own. Not knowing what to do with his hands, previously raised to accentuate his speech, he stuffed them in the pockets of his jeans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what do you think?” he asked breathlessly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El smiled at him sweetly, letting her gaze trail to each of his sides to signify her acknowledging the space they were in. “Nice,” she answered, meaning both his welcome tour and the apartment itself. She grinned at Mike, letting him know she appreciated his thoughtfulness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike smiled back at her. The sound of rainfall starting again brought him out of his revelry, reminding him that standing silently, staring at pretty girls usually did not end well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El’s eyes widened as she realised they had both been staring, grinning like idiots.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shower,” she blurted out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, would it be okay if I took a shower?” She explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike’s shoulders relaxed after she explained her sudden outburst, and slipped back into his tour-guide persona, showing her where the towels were kept and closing the door behind himself as he left her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El watched her reflection in the mirror sigh. She could barely believe that she had lived this day herself. This morning she had woken up in the same bed as the last 4 years, to Stacey’s latest accusations. This morning she had felt hopeless, worthless, and was sure that this would forever be her destiny. She felt like the useless, dumb girl Stacey often accused her of being. Now, however, as she looked back at the scraggly haired girl appearing in front of her, she resolved that tomorrow morning she would wake up differently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Screw tomorrow, she amended. She would be a new woman tonight. This shower could be her magical transformation chamber. She’d emerge as someone else. Someone with less doubts, someone who knew how to talk to others smoothly. She tried smiling alluringly at the mirror. The expression she wore looked as if she were conveying pain, rather than invitation. She shook her head, accepting that perhaps jumping directly from Socially Awkward El to Sexy And Mysterious El may be too far of a leap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She undressed and twisted the handle to adjust the water’s temperature, as Mike had shown her. She let the water drops beat against her, imagining that the water could wash her past away. Crazy ex-roommates, feeling lost, Benny yelling at her, she felt them all melt away, sliding down her legs and into the drain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El spent nearly half an hour enjoying her hot shower, before realising how long she’d been blissfully unaware. She quickly turned off the water, half-panicked about the water bill that would tattle on her habits later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wrapping herself in a soft towel from the cabinet Mike had pointed to, El looked at the sad pile of clothing sitting near her feet. They reminded her that even if she felt new, she’d still look like the same-old-El to everyone else. To her embarrassment, she realised that even if she had wanted to put Old El clothes back on, they were still completely soaked through from her walk through the pouring rain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She drew in a breath sharply. New El is brave, she reminded herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mike?” she poked her head out, waiting for his reply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike slid into view, surprised by her tone. “Yeah?” his eyebrows were raised in question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El stepped out of the bathroom, allowing Mike to see her, clad only in a towel, her hair matted down from the water, her face fresh. His eyes snapped to match her gaze, reminding himself that </span>
  <em>
    <span>only creeps stare at girls in a towel</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Could I borrow some clothes?” she asked softly, blushing. She felt embarrassed for needing to wear his clothes, having none of her own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took Mike’s brain a minute to catch up with his mouth, his thoughts otherwise occupied by </span>
  <em>
    <span>not looking at her body because that would be creepy. Don’t be a creep Mike.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Yes!” he yelped, “Clothes, yeah let me get you some.” Berating himself, he went to grab some clothes for El. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Way to keep your cool</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He returned with an old shirt of his, and a pair of sweatpants that must’ve been packed by accident, since they were closer to his knees than his ankles at this point. He looked at the folded articles in his hands, and then at El as he handed her them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thanked him quietly, ducking back into the bathroom to quickly throw them on. Mike scratched the back of his head, a nervous habit he had sometimes. When she emerged once again, he couldn’t help but grin at the sight of her. She looked so cute, practically drowning in the T-shirt, his sweatpants tight against her curvy shape, loose around her ankles. They looked like bell bottom pants, the way they fit her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El couldn’t help but smile back. She was warmed by the look in Mike’s eyes. She noticed how long his eyelashes were, framing those brown eyes. The type of brown that felt comforting, that made you think of chocolate melting and marshmallows heating. She wondered if Mike had the kind of childhood that had been filled with comfort. The kind in which it was no big deal to lend your clothes to strangers, because everyone around you is just as loving and trusting as you. For a moment she wanted to sink into the comfort of his gaze, to lean in and hug him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike broke the spell, noticing her wet clothing on the floor behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want to toss those into the dryer?” he offered, gesturing with his hand to the small pile behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El felt her cheeks heat up. He had caught her absolutely staring into his eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Who does that? </span>
  </em>
  <span>she asked herself, biting her lip as she nodded. She turned to pick up the clothing, following Mike to the washing machine. After tossing in the load and pressing some buttons, Mike leaned against the humming machine. El was surprised by herself. Here she was, in a small room, standing mere feet away from a grown man that she had known all of a few hours, and she felt absolutely safe. Somehow she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. It would just feel out of character to fear him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so at ease.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Work For The Working Man</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Domesticity and mutual help begins at Mike’s humble abode.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>El climbed into her bed that night feeling content. She felt calm among Mike’s sheets. They smelled clean. Her crazy day was finally coming to an end, and she couldn’t help but feel like she was a character on one of her favorite soaps - a poor wretch, thrown out of her house, only to be saved by a valiant man, attractive and passionate, making sure that viewing rates would stay high through plotless episodes. She felt hopeful, and determined. New El, she reminded herself. Maybe she could feel this incredibly all the time. New El deserved happiness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She briefly wondered about the man sleeping in the room off to the left. What had Mike thought of her? Was his first impression accurate? Perhaps he thought she was dumb, she had spoken so little. El sighed, wishing once again that she were better at finding the right words. Sometimes she felt like her thoughts were just out of grasp, waiting to be named by someone else, someone who would make sense of her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mike lay in his bed, arms folded behind his head. He couldn’t stop thinking about El. He told himself that this was only natural, she was a new person that he was destined to spend a copious amount of time beside in the near future. It was only natural to imagine her tomorrow morning, what she might look like when she woke up. He had a vision of her, bleary eyed, smiling sweetly at him, like she had today. He liked her smile. He imagined themselves having breakfast together. He wondered what she was like on quiet afternoons. Maybe she’d be the type to sing along to the radio, and they’d squabble over what station to listen to. Maybe she’s a quiet type, he surmised. Maybe she likes to read books and would fall asleep on the couch, latest reading material in hand. He smiled to himself at the image. He’d put a quilt over her, and she’d wake up later, feeling inexplicably happy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was getting ahead of himself, he realised. Anyway, he felt excited. He let his thoughts wander until they were no longer coherent, drifting to sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>………….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike woke before El. With too much time to think, he decided to cook a ‘welcome, new roomie’ breakfast. That is, if making coffee and putting out the cereal can be considered cooking. He wasn’t sure what her usual routine looked like, and at the risk of looking over eager, he decided that everyone likes waffles. Toasting some freezer-waffles was a sure bet for starting off a good household dynamic. He smiled to himself, proud of his efforts to surely brighten El’s day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At half past eight, Mike was still sipping his coffee when he heard El’s door open. He reminded himself to play it cool, keeping his eyes on the book he was rereading. He heard the bathroom door slam shut. After a few minutes Mike was greeted by a suitably bleary-eyed-El. Mike chirped ‘good morning’ at her, met by a grumble that had intended to state “Not yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El didn’t hate mornings. But it would be safe to say that they weren’t exactly her favorite time of the day either. She felt sluggish, and was attracted to the aroma of caffeine wafting over to her. Following her nose, El allowed herself to be comforted by coffee for a stretch. Once her brain was capable of processing her surroundings, El spied the toaster waffles enticingly stacked next to Mike’s plate. Eyeing her target, she asked for confirmation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eggos?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike had to restrain himself from laughing. He had never seen someone regard freezer food with such suspicion. Biting his lip to keep from laughing out loud, he nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Help yourself.” He invited her, pushing the plate of waffles towards her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El ate the top Eggo with the manner of a cat finally defeating its adversary mouse. She continued to the second, clearly in her element in front of a stack  of Eggos.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike raised his cup of coffee to mask the laughter threatening to burst out of him. His eyes twinkled with the humour of the scene in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After her 3rd Eggo, El slowed down. Her face conveyed a much softer approach than had been apparent before her coffee. She swallowed her bite of waffle before nodding her head towards Mike.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Plans for today?” she inquired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, not much,” he replied, “just some writing workshop. Maybe get some lunch at the cafeteria. That’s about it.” He shrugged to emphasize that this was a typical day for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El nodded in acknowledgement. “I have a shift at work today. I’ll probably be back by dinner-time.” Mike nodded as she had, staring at her a few moments longer than necessary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El felt herself redden under her gaze, clearing her throat to snap him out of his stare. Mike blinked, ducking his head in embarrassment of being caught staring at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll get the dishes,” El offered, “I don’t need to go just yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike thanked her, retreating to his room to get dressed for his workshop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El enjoyed the routine of her shift at Benny’s diner. It helped her retain the feeling that her entire world had not actually shifted on its axis. Work was the same. The bell above the door made the same sound it always had. Her apron was exactly where she had left it last. Benny was sweating through his shirt behind the counter. Life goes on, she realised. Maybe she wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> like one of the characters on her soaps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the end of the lunch rush, Benny reminded her to pick up her paycheck today. El was struck by an idea - paycheck! That meant money, which meant being able to pick up the necessities. She smiled at the realisation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She asked Benny to finish early that day, she had some errands to run. He told her to go ahead, seeing as the lunch rush was finished and the next shift would come in before the dinner rush would start. Picking up her paycheck, El left the diner with many plans. First thing, she resolved, would be to get some underwear. Wearing Mike’s clothes was fine. Wearing Mike’s clothes sans-underwear was not fine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Walking to the nearest JCPenney’s, she made a mental list of other things she needed to buy. Groceries, some shampoo and conditioner (really, she appreciated Mike’s sharing, but she preferred to use something that did not say ‘3-in-1’ on it), and other daily tools.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perusing the isles of clothing, El found herself looking at the selection of underclothes. She picked out some pairs on sale, tried on a few bras before picking two that were moderately priced. Taking another step, she found herself face to face with a display proudly named - ‘Lingerie’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El really wasn’t the type to spend money frivolously, especially not on garments that were designed to serve minimal purpose. Now, however, she felt oddly compelled to consider the possibility of purchasing items from the display. She couldn’t help but think about Mike looking at her when she had come out of the shower, only in a towel. It was entirely plausible that in the next few weeks they ought to catch glimpses of each other in states of undress. She wondered how he might react to a glimpse of her in the one of the showy underthings in front her… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt herself blush, ashamed at the image she had conjured. She was no seductress. El reminded herself that there was always the possibility of ‘New El’. Maybe New El was secretly sexy. She wouldn’t prance around the apartment in hopes of catching Mike’s attention. But she would know that she was wearing them. She’d know that she was wearing sexy underwear, and it would make her mysterious, powerful. With the situation re-framed in her mind, El reached for the pink number she favored.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mike wandered around the cafeteria before settling at his usual table, spotting Will saving him a seat. Mike was happy to catch up with him. After a few bites and ‘how’s it going’s, Will asked how the El situation turned out. Mike enthusiastically assured Will that it was a bargain for him. “She’s cool. I think it’ll all work out for the best.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Happy to hear that he had housed two birds with one phone call, Will resumed his eating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he returned home, Mike noticed that it was only 2 o’clock. Figuring he’d prepare dinner later, he let himself fall asleep on the inviting sofa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His soft snores filled the space, only overshadowed by the click of the lock when El let herself in. She smiled at Mike’s figure, his long legs falling off the side of the sofa. Setting down her purchases on the table, she put the groceries in the fridge and on the counter. She returned from her room and decided that perhaps Mike was just </span>
  <em>
    <span>too cute</span>
  </em>
  <span> asleep like that. She quietly made dinner, leaving out a portion for Mike. She left it on the table alongside a note - ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Thanks for breakfast. I already ate my portion :)’</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike awoke from the sound of her bedroom door closing behind her. Rubbing his eyes, he noticed the food on the table. Reading her note, he smiled. She was sweet to think of him and let him nap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he was drying the last of the dishes, the phone rang. Mike picked up the receiver, unsurprised by the voice on the line.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes Mom, I’m fine.” He was practically rolling his eyes. He was 23. He did NOT need his mother checking up on him constantly. “Yes, I ate. No, I didn’t forget anything at… Wait!” An idea struck him. “Hey Mom, do we still have Nancy’s old stuff that you were going to donate to the clothing drive?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Could you send it? I have a friend that could use it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karen wanted to ask who exactly was this friend that wanted a bunch of girl’s clothing, but held her tongue. This may be a matter to handle delicately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No problem, Michael. I’m happy you’re helping out a </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend</span>
  </em>
  <span> in need.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike ignored what she was trying to insinuate. He thanked her and hung up, glad to finish the conversation. He was glad he’d be able to surprise El. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>One of my favorite mall scenes of season 3 was Mike and Will's panic at the lingerie store. Had to pay my respects to that brilliant work of art. Also, in no way did I find the word "Lingerie" sexy until I found out that it was not, in fact, pronounced "Linger-y". If you don't know what I mean, Google that shit and stop saying it wrong.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>El makes new friends, slightly surprising Mike. Game night takes place.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I know it's taken me a bit to upload this, but hopefully this will make up for the wait.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>El appreciated the extra clothing. She felt weird, accepting so many gifts from Mike, but he had this way of giving her things that always made it seem as if </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> was the one doing him a favour, by taking them off his hands. As they slowly relaxed into routine, El found that Mike gave her many reasons to smile, a habit that was quick to develop. Sometimes El wondered if she was daydreaming, it simply didn’t make sense to be so unreasonably </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy</span>
  </em>
  <span> every time she came home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been a while since that word had such a physical meaning. For a long time home had meant to her Hopper, and after his passing it had been difficult to attach those feelings to any household. Home was somewhere that made you feel warm inside, safe. El could barely believe how easily her apartment with Mike fit that description.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With each passing day, El learned more about Mike. She heard childhood stories of shenanigans and troublemaking with his friends. She was surprised by the way he described Will sometimes. She had never thought of him as adventurous, but Mike’s stories painted him as halfway to being a superhero. She particularly loved the stories about Mike’s </span>
  <b>child</b>
  <span>hood. The ones about stories being read to him, and learning how to swim. She could imagine that they had happened to her. Mike didn’t like sharing those as much. He didn’t really mind sharing Baby Mike tales, he just found them kind of boring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tried to deflect some of El’s requests by asking about her childhood, but she always waved them off, saying they wouldn’t be of any interest. Mike had to stop from embarrassing himself and saying that he was in fact very interested. Instead he let her glide through their conversations without pushing the matter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mike knew that writing about your friends was frowned upon, especially if they were to find out. So he didn't. Instead, he looked at his last workshop assignments, trying to persuade himself that a story about a girl named 'Em' that could warm you with just her gaze was completely fictitious. As was the story about 'Ri', in which she had a tinkling laugh that spread a smile across your face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mike leaned back in at his desk, blowing out a frustrated sigh. He was an idiot, he concluded. He must be, to think that he was writing anything other than wishful fantasies. The only missing piece would be a valiant tall and dark haired hero, sweeping the monosyllabic named heroine off her feet, and he'd rightly be sued for writing about the people in his life. Not that he'd ever publish any of these works. Or show anyone. These were definitely the type of stories to either be burned, shredded, or hidden for the entirety of his life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mike pressed his hands to his temples, hoping perhaps to physically squeeze the thoughts of El out of his head. Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? He wondered. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Literally, write </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>anything </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>else.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He angrily told himself. Taking out a fresh piece of paper, he promised himself that this one would not be about El. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But if it was about El</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a small part of his mind countered, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what would she be doing right now?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The cash register shot open in front of her, waiting to serve change to the customer. El plucked out a couple of bills and a pinch of coins, her hands well practiced in the repetitive movements. "And have a nice day!" She finished the transaction with a bright smile. It really was a day for bright smiles. El felt like if there was no music she'd need to hum some herself, she just felt like moving and swaying. She spotted a new customer seated at one of her tables, stopping on her way over to turn up the radio in the corner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What can I get you on this beautiful day?" She breezily whipped out her notepad, dazzling the woman in front of her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh," the redhead was visibly taken aback by El's cheerfulness, stunned into silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I recommend the burger and fries, you can't go wrong with the classic." El showed no sign of deflation from her sunshine soaked demeanor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman nodded slowly, still staring at El as if she'd grown another head. She quickly turned very suspicious. She leaned forwards, whispering conspiratorially to El.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you... Okay? Is the manager forcing you to be like this?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>El burst out laughing at the inquiry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No, no. Nothing like that. The manager, Benny, he's my knight in shining armour. With a guy like him around I've got every reason to be this cheerful."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The redhead pulled a face at this admission, scoffing quietly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Knight in shining armour, huh? What'd he do? Hold your hand and tell you you're pretty?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>El blushed, feeling a little embarrassed by her description.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Nothing like that. He just... He protects me. Keeps me safe."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The redhead lit up as if she had entered a battle with a worthy opponent, finally.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Keeps you safe? What are you, a piece of jewellery on display? You shouldn't need some guy to keep you safe."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>El slightly frowned at the accusation. She didn't mean that she was helpless, she just meant that Benny looked out for her. He cared that she was okay.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm assuming you keep yourself safe then? No need for a guy to do it and all." El shot back at her hotly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman nodded. After a moment of silence she cleared her throat, ordering off the menu a simple order.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When El came back with the food, the woman seemed to hesitate before calling after her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Wait, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like you can't take care of yourself, I just get riled up quickly sometimes." El nodded in acknowledgement of the apology. The woman continued.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm Max. I kind of got off to a bad start. It's a habit I'm trying to break."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>El slid into the booth, across from Max, her hand outstretched to welcome Max with a shake. "El."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Max smiled at her, for the first time since the beginning of their interaction. They were becoming fast friends. Within ten minutes of their conversation, El heard herself invite Max along to game night at the apartment. She explained that it would be her first time meeting the boys, and that she could use the feminine backup. Max readily agreed, happy to embark with El on the mission to keep a couple of over-grown boys in check while playing board games.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was safe to say that Mike was surprised by Max’s arrival. He had just gotten off the phone, successfully having ordered the pizza, when Max boldly walked into his living room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um, hi?” His eyes narrowed at the stranger that had walked into his home with utmost confidence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Max spun around to face him, sticking her hand out with determination.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Max. You must be Mike. I heard lots about you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ignoring her offered hand, Mike stretched his neck to look over her shoulder, looking for someone to explain what a ballsy redhead was doing in his house, telling him who he was as if this were an interview.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Max receded her hand and jerked her thumb in the direction of the door behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, El? She’s just bringing in the snacks you asked her to pick up. She told me to go ahead and scope out the place.” She shrugged casually, as if this were a totally normal situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mike raised his eyebrows in suspicion. “So you’re El’s friend? Whom she never told me about?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Max nodded at him as if he were slow. At that moment their El entered the house, arms laden with packaging of many colours. Mike rushed to help her with the pile of junk foods, taking those that were near her chin first.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mike felt embarrassed that El was doing everything, when it was his own friends that were coming tonight to eat them out of house and home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you yell for help? You shouldn’t have to bring in everything by yourself.” Mike tried to salvage what was left of his first impression, showing that he wasn’t just a suspicious and unhelpful roommate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Max didn’t really take it that way. She folded her arms in front of her chest, fixing Mike with a renewed glare.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? You don’t think she can do it herself?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mike sputtered, trying to explain that he wasn’t condescending, just an idiot, apparently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>El puffed up, gathering the snacks in her arms, up to her chin once again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can do it myself.” she stubbornly announced. She walked off to the kitchen, spilling the treacherous packages on the table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Max followed her, resisting the urge to stick out her tongue at Mike, reminding herself that it wouldn’t be much of a victory if she acted like a six year old.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mike felt like his house, his home, his humble abode had been invaded. Taken over by giggly women who didn’t seem to want him anywhere near them. He felt like his prayers were answered when the doorbell finally rang.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He threw the door open to welcome the guys.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Friends!” he exclaimed. “Men of much testosterone! Please, enter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lucas gave him a weird look, wary of Mike using his Dungeon Master voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s us. So much testosterone. For sure.” he nodded while walking past Mike into the apartment. Dustin and Will followed suit. Each gave a nod and ceremonial ‘hey’ as they passed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>El and Max came to greet the boys. Dustin immediately jumped into action.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ladies,” he purred, “to what do we owe the honour? Mike, why didn’t you tell us about your lovely… friends?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stunned silence followed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then suddenly, El and Max burst out laughing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Max pointed at him, still laughing. “Hilarious. You had me for a moment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dustin’s smile began to slide off his face, unsure if he had been shot down or not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lucas seized the moment to introduce themselves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry,” he said with a wide smile, “that’s just Dustin. I’m Lucas, by the way. And this is Will. I’m guessing you’ve already met Mike.” he pointed to each in turn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Max nodded in recognition.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Game night went pretty well, considering the rocky start between Mike and Max. Mike noticed that Max was getting along pretty well with everyone, albeit her aggressive demeanor when first meeting her. It looked like she was having fun, especially when she was on Lucas’ team. It was obvious Lucas was enjoying her attention. Dustin seemed a bit put out by Max’s preference for Lucas, but played along without much of a fuss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>El felt a bit weird around Will at first, but the board games served as a buffer, allowing her to relax as the night went on. She was glad to have Max there, so she wasn’t the ‘new girl’ alone. She felt a little hot at first, sitting so close to Mike, but as the group got wilder in each game, she leaned in to him, letting herself enjoy how close he was, feeling his body heat against her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dustin was surprised by Mike. He always felt that he was the womanizer in the group, but seeing Mike smile at El, her eyes practically twinkling with the affection she felt for him, he was pretty sure there was something going on between them. At the end of the night, as Will and El started yawning, Max and Lucas went off into their own side conversations.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dustin got up to help Mike take some of the bowls into the kitchen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You two are cute.” He quipped. Mike’s head swiveled to stare at Dustin. “What?” he dumbly replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t bullshit me. I saw the way you look at her, to see that she’s having fun. You haven’t smiled so hard at anything since you got that limited edition X-Men for Christmas when we were 14. You’d think she’s Wonder Woman.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mike looked affronted. “I don’t… She’s cool, don’t talk about her like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dustin waved his hands around to gesture the absurdity.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You see? You’re defending her when I haven’t even said anything bad about her!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mike’s brows furrowed, his scowl lessening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not making fun, I swear. Maybe someone will finally get your head out of the books and you’ll have a romance that isn’t fictional. Don’t blow it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mike seemed absorbed in the new information. Lost in thought, he set down the bowls still in his hands. He looked at El, visible at the doorway, waving goodbye at Max and Lucas that were leaving. He looked away before she could catch his gaze, saying goodbye to Dustin and Will.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once everyone had left, El and Mike floated back and forth from the living room to the kitchen, tidying up what little mess was left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>El yawned loudly, before proclaiming that she was heading to bed. She paused at her doorway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I had a really fun time tonight, thank you.” She grinned at Mike sleepily, her mind already slowing down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mike froze where he was standing,staring as the door closed behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re welcome,” he whispered to himself, “I had fun with you too.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know Max seems really aggressive, but that's literally what she's like at first. The snack scene was 100% inspired by the mall scene in S3, when El repeats after Max, and Mike is completely overwhelmed by El and Max both coming for him at once. ("What is she, your little pet?" "Yeah, am I your pet?" "What? No!")</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Angry Young Man</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Karen visits for some family time, setting off an interesting chain of events.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry, I've been taking my sweet time to get back to writing... To those of you who've enjoyed Laundry Day, expect some more companion pieces in the near future :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a week since the lively events of game-night, and Mike couldn’t help but feel that something had changed between him and El. He couldn’t explain exactly what, but it felt to him like a shift in the energy between them. Silences they shared no longer felt empty, they weren’t simply a lack of sound anymore, they were like some sort of… wave? It felt like emotion and feeling would continue to roll off towards each other, even when not speaking words. Mike couldn't think about it too long without his head hurting and his cheeks heating, thinking about additional dimensions causing silence between them to feel fuller somehow. He shook his head, trying to physically rid himself of his weird interpretation of their connection. He had the habit of getting into his own head like this.</p><p>He was cleaning up from dinner, lost in his thoughts when the welcome distraction of the doorbell rang. Mike wiped off his hands before making his way to the door, swinging it open to reveal his very own mother, Karen Wheeler, hands full with a cardboard box blocking most of her face. Mike reached to take the box, propping the door open with his foot.</p><p>Karen walked inside, a big smile adorning her features.</p><p>“Well, isn’t this nice,” she exclaimed, “what a lovely home you’ve made here.”</p><p>Mike mumbled something akin of thanks from behind the box. He moved to set it down on the kitchen table while Karen spun around, taking in the surroundings. She flitted from room to room pointing out additions from her previous visit, while Mike unpacked the contents of the cardboard box. He took out shirt after shirt, intermittently looking up to keep an eye on his mom. Small tubes of lipstick and compacts clattered to the table as the box emptied. Mike felt a little weird giving Nancy’s old things to El, but he trusted that he had paid little enough attention to Nancy’s clothing at the time that he probably wouldn’t even recognise most of the items.</p><p>He looked up at his mom, feeling a little anxious about her hovering near El’s room. He had warned El ahead of time that she was visiting, making it very clear that she was under no obligation whatsoever to interact with her.</p><p>Mike cleared his throat, getting Karen’s attention.</p><p>“Mom?” he folded his arms over his chest. “Thanks for doing this, I really appreciate you driving up and bringing all of this stuff.”</p><p>Karen smiled warmly at her son. “Of course Michael, you know that your father and I make a point to help the needy.”</p><p>Mike looked at her, affronted by the degrading phrasing. “She’s not The Needy, Mom,” he said hotly, “she’s a friend that I’m helping out. She’s not a charity case.”</p><p>“Oh, yes, of course Michael,” she said patronisingly, “I know you care about her very much.” She raised her eyebrows knowingly.</p><p>Mike could feel himself turning red. “It’s not like that.” He could hear the defensiveness in his voice. He felt 15 again, getting teased by his friends. “We’re just friends.” He knew, of course, that just uttering that sentence made it all the more suspicious. He felt on edge, twitchy and annoyed with his mother’s insinuations.</p><p>“I hope you <em> friend </em> enjoys the makeup and clothes.” Karen let the admission stand as she took her leave.</p><p>Annoyed, Mike slammed the door to the bathroom on his way in. He let his thoughts stew, hoping the hot water washing over him would boil them out of his head. <em> It’s not like that, </em> he told himself. The rush of the water blocking out the rest of the world. <em> She’s not some charity case. We’re friends. </em> That thought echoed again, but in a slightly downcast voice. <em> We’re just friends. </em></p><p>Meanwhile, El finally poked her head out of her room. She had heard Karen leaving, looking up from her book to go grab a snack from the newly vacated kitchen. Leaving her room, she was planning what she would grab when she was met with something very solid. A very solid, tall, slightly wet, body. Losing her balance, El felt herself falling, her left foot still mid-step. She felt her torso encircled with Mike’s arm, preventing her from slipping and continuing her descent to the floor. Her hands coming up to steady herself, she felt his wet chest. Her cheeks reddening, she looked up to see Mike’s hair, matted down from his shower. Realising his lack of clothing, Mike reached to secure his towel around his waist with the hand not currently holding El against him. El found herself looking straight into his eyes, her head tilted back from the angle in which Mike was holding her. </p><p><em> Such brown eyes. </em> She thought to herself. <em> Comforting eyes. And such long eyelashes. </em></p><p>Her gaze sliding from his dark eyes to his lips. <em> Pink. Probably soft. </em></p><p>Meanwhile Mike was in the process of realising that he was clad only in a towel, loosely slung around his hips, with a beautiful woman flush against his own figure. Clearing his throat to draw attention to their predicament, he took a step back, ensuring that El had not lost her footing. El’s eyes widened with the realisation of her actions, straightening herself.</p><p>“I was just going to…” she started.</p><p>“Right, I was…” Mike gestured with a glance towards his room. They quickly parted ways, each continuing to their original destination. </p><p>Potato chips now in hand, El wondered what the hell had just happened. </p><p>She had slipped - and then he had - and then she had - </p><p>She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She couldn’t believe herself. She was about to kiss him. She realised now, if he hadn’t done anything, she definitely would have kissed him and screwed up the good, safe, <em> platonic </em> relationship they had. She liked things as they were now. They could laugh together, just relax on long afternoons, and it wasn’t awkward to initiate conversations. El valued that. This was not the time to screw up all those things by <em> kissing </em>Mike all willy-nilly. Just because she had literally fallen into his arms, she didn’t need to cause unnecessary tension. Even if those arms were so strong. And he looked so good shirtless.</p><p><em> Stop it! </em> She scolded herself. These were not cool-platonic-roommate thoughts. She decided she’d simply repress the memory of Mike, wet from the shower, his towel slung deliciously low on his hips… NOPE. She could, and would, forget about the incident by sheer force of will.</p><p> </p><p>Mike grabbed some clothes without really stopping to notice what he was even putting on his body. He still felt hot all over.</p><p><em> She was looking at my lips, </em> he thought.</p><p>
  <em> That’s a thing girls do when they want you to kiss them, right? </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Did she want me to kiss her? </em>
</p><p>He straightened suddenly, eyes wide, thoughts grasping for sense.</p><p>
  <em> Do I want to kiss her? </em>
</p><p>That was an easy question.</p><p>
  <em> Were we about to…? </em>
</p><p>That was less easy to answer.</p><p>Mike couldn’t make much sense of his thoughts anyway, leading him to a great executive decision - he’d go troubleshoot with the guys. Lucas made sense 86% of the time, Will made good decisions 91% of instances, and Dustin had uncalled for, but often accurate insights. Altogether it was equivalent to one sensible human being.</p><p>Satisfied with his conclusion, Mike patted his pockets for his wallet before realising he had dressed himself in pajama pants, wearing his shirt inside out.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Basically, 4 idiots who take turns using the single available brain-cell.<br/>If you've watched Anne with an E, this has the same vibes as right after they have dance practice. Go watch Anne with an E and sign the petition to renew it!!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Rude Boy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Game night gets intense with a new addition to the party.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mike threw the door open happily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lucas! And… Erica?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Erica stalked in, Lucas following her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Parents want her to think about her future, blah blah blah responsibility, blah blah blah sent her to stay with me for the week. Is it cool that she joins just this once?” Lucas explained in a pained tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike rearranged his facial features to cover up some of his surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah man, no problem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike glanced behind Lucas, double checking that there were no additional surprise game-players tonight. Closing the door behind him, he made the necessary introductions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone, Erica. Erica - you know everyone except El, my roommate, and Max, her friend. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Our</span>
  </em>
  <span> friend.” He added the last part as an answer to Max’s raised eyebrows at her description. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, the girl that doesn’t talk.” Erica declared casually while sitting down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El seemed affronted. “I talk.” she stated defensively, her brows furrowed by the accusation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Erica!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-Lucas!” Lucas’ head swiveled from his reprimanding stare to glance nervously at Mike, who looked quite annoyed by the judgmental information that had apparently been relayed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know where she gets this stuff.” Lucas chuckled nervously, aware of Mike’s displeasure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike frowned, but let it slide. Calling El quiet wasn’t exactly inaccurate, and they hadn’t really had many conversations outside of game nights. Turning his attention back to the board being set up, Mike vowed to try and get El more involved this time. There was so much to her, it amazed him that the others could just completely miss out on her great personality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the night wore on, Mike felt a bit like a camp counselor, trying to force unwilling participants to answer random ice-breakers. It wasn’t that there was nothing to talk about, the issue was that there was very little to discuss that El had an audible opinion on. At some point he gave up, allowing things to take their natural course. If El had something to say she’d surely say it, she didn’t need to be prompted like this was an interview.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Erica, however, had completely missed the notion of leaving El alone, and would bring up pointed questions out of the blue. She figured, if no one else would ask what was left unsaid, who better than her to bring it up?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, how’d you two end up living together?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will answered her, explaining that El had needed new accommodations and Mike had conveniently needed a roommate at the time. Erica nodded, unsatisfied by the vague elaboration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So before here, you lived…” Erica gestured at El to finish the sentence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El blushed. “In a small apartment about 20 minutes from Benny’s.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Erica nodded again slowly before continuing her interrogation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you left because… You wanted a nice big space paid for by Mike’s writing program?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Max’s jaw dropped at the sheer audacity of this girl. She was actually insinuating that El was taking advantage of Mike for his apartment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas was quick to react. “What the hell Erica?!” he hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike was a bit more pointed in his reaction. “Sorry, I wasn’t aware I had invited the Spanish Inquisition tonight as well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So no one’s gonna ask how some random girl fell out of the sky and into your party? You know nothing about her!” Erica crossed her arms, defending her position. “Do you even know her last name? Or her first name? What’s El short for? Got stuck halfway through the alphabet and ran out of ideas?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>El felt her cheeks truly burning now. Erica thought she was taking advantage of Mike. The others were spluttering to defend her. She didn’t feel deserving of their righteous anger. They didn’t know any of these things about her. Had she deliberately kept vital information from them? Maybe she was as manipulative as Erica had painted her, allowing silence to substitute any real explanation of her past. Upset, she got up and disappeared to her room. She couldn’t be deceiving if she wasn’t around to do it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike, noticing her absence turned on Erica.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell was that? She lives here, for months now, and you’re giving her the third degree like she’s some criminal? If you’d stopped your cross-examination for even a minute, youd’ve realised that she’s got better intentions than anyone here, most of all you. I can’t believe you’d question her like that, you jerk!” Mike himself was red in the face now, his eyes fiery. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas was shaking his head, ashamed of his sister. “You know what Erica, let’s just go, you’ve caused enough damage for the night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Erica pursed her lips, stubborn in her stance. “Whatever. Don’t come crying when you realise you invited a serial killer into your lives because no one bothered to ask what’s up with this girl.” Lucas practically shoved her out the door as they took their leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Awkward silence resided in their absence. Max was first to stand up, some mumbled excuse falling from her lips as she practically ran out the door. Will and Dustin followed suit, each promising that they’d make it up next game night, and that Erica was definitely unhinged and shouldn’t be taken seriously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally alone in the living room, Mike’s head hung in shame. He was so angry. At himself, for allowing El to be spoken to in such a manner, for causing El to feel unwelcome in her own home. And he was angry at Erica. Obviously. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What a bitch. How’d she like someone to barge into her life and start accusing her of literally being a murderer? </span>
  </em>
  <span>He hoped El hadn’t heard that part.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>El.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He quietly knocked on her door. Following a quiet </span>
  <em>
    <span>come in</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he entered cautiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El was curled up on her bed, her knees drawn to her chest. Eyeing her, Mike sat on the edge of her bed. He had a hard time meeting her eyes. Staring at his hands, he apologised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El smiled, completely aware that none of this was his own fault, and yet he felt responsible for her heartache.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mike,” she softly requested, “come here.” She patted the space next to her. He meekly moved near the headboard, stealing a glance at her tear-stained expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike balked, ready to argue El’s virtue, even against herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, listen please.” He knew enough to shut up and wait for her to continue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I haven’t told you very much about me. You barely know who I am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike felt his heart sink. How could she say that about him? Had he imagined the closeness he felt between them?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-but I can tell you. All about me. My life. If you want.” she added the last part shyly, receding into herself, drawing her legs closer, her face practically hidden from view. Mike nodded silently, hesitant he may upset her again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She began from the beginning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mother, a bright woman, worshipping a scientist that took advantage of her, having her participate in questionable medical trials. Watching her own mother become addicted to the pills he would give her, giving up everything she had to support him blindly. And the way he had treated El, with a morbid curiosity, like she was a lab animal. She knew that he was the one to call her ‘Eleven’ first. It stuck, proving that her mother was completely under his spell. She was no longer Jane, Mama’s girl. She was a test subject. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>How she had learned that by disappearing during the day, wandering the streets of Chicago, she could avoid her mom’s delusions. Finally, once, she got caught. Child services. Tossed around from house to house, every so often reunited with her mother when she and Brenner could prove that she wasn’t a druggie.  Tossed back into the system. Until Hopper. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had caught her roaming homeless shelters in the middle of the winter, and had decided at once that she wasn’t going anywhere without him. Her years with Hopper. An isolated childhood, few friends, almost none near her age. And then finally, she had turned 18. Finally independent. She wanted to prove to Hopper, to his new wife, her new brothers, she wasn’t a charity case. She was capable. So she moved out, got an apartment with Psycho Stacy, and every day was persuaded from morning to evening that she was secretly an awful person in hiding. And one day, it was too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will told me about your need for a roommate, and I prayed that I wasn’t walking into a death trap, and then..” She ended her story, trailing off to let him know that he knew the rest already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike was quiet for a moment, taking it all in. He wore a wry grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“El Hopper, superhero.” he stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head, pushing his shoulder lightly. “Stop it.” She laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike laughed with her, pushing her back softly, letting it escalate until they were lying side by side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for telling me.” He whispered to the ceiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for believing me.” She whispered back somberly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.” a sleepy smile stretched across his features.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt so honoured to have heard her story.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt so safe. She had told him, and he had stayed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes blinked slowly, succumbing to the exhaustion that pulled her under.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>RIP Bob Newby, superhero.<br/>Are you ready for this fic's finale???<br/>Hope to have the last chapter up soon. Meanwhile, enjoy as I write as many oneshots as I can within my same AU. Let me know how you hope this ends in the comments :)<br/>(Don't worry, I already have a plan, you won't ruin anything.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Start Of Something New</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Some gossip reaches El’s ears, motivating her to take action.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>'Tis! The last chapter of this fic.  It's been a wild ride writing this, I hope you enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>El felt like her head was buzzing, amid the soft music playing in Benny’s diner. A whole swarm of bees may have taken residence in her brain. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hopeless romantic bees that give bad advice</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thought. It had been two days since she had woken up next to Mike’s unconscious form beside her. He had been perfectly graceful, waking from her movements of shifting off the bed. He had been so cute, scrubbing his face with his palm, apologising for the intrusion. In contrast to his cool demeanor, El felt like she should apologise to him, she wasn’t sure for what exactly, but it felt like her fault. Mike had shrugged it off, excusing themselves by muttering that they must’ve been really tired, and leaving it at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El didn’t realise one could do that. Just explain that you were tired, and shrug it off. As if that was a legitimate excuse for falling asleep with your opposite-sex roommate that you have a very clear tension with. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That you have very clear feelings for.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>El wished she could swat that bee away. She did not have clear feelings for Mike. Sure, she had </span>
  <em>
    <span>feelings</span>
  </em>
  <span> for him, but there was very little about these feelings that were clear to her. She knew she liked being around him. She knew he was a good friend to her, protective and caring. She remembered how he had come to her rescue that night. It brought a secretive grin to her face. He had so valiantly defended her, later coming to her room to comfort her. Her knight in shining armor. El giggled to herself, imagining Mike dressed like one of those characters he loved describing in Dungeons and Dragons. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He really is wonderful</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she mused to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A wonderful </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>friend</em>
  </b>
  <span>. She sighed. Were these murky feelings worth potentially ruining such a great friendship? Did she really have the luxury of endangering one of her, admittedly - few, true friends?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Isn’t that romance? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Another self-sabotaging critter challenged, </span>
  <em>
    <span>risking everything for each other, announcing your love to the world?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>El nearly snorted out loud. She had definitely watched one soap-opera too many. Even if she were to </span>
  <em>
    <span>risk it all</span>
  </em>
  <span> and bring it to Mike’s attention, the only grand announcement would be to the paint-chipped walls of their apartment. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Not that I plan to bring it up.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She hastily amended.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Drifting around with a pot of coffee in her hand, El continued to contemplate the subject, her facial expressions loudly displaying her internal argument. Her thought process was abruptly interrupted by a wide toothy grin from a well known patron, giving El a start.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Giggling at her own flightiness, El greeted Dustin with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What can I get you boys?” She asked, glancing at the stranger sitting across from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have waffles, and Steve will have the eggs and bacon, so he can grow up big and strong.” Dustin requested with a mischievous grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, shut up, shit-head. I’d be able to bench press </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> if you weren’t such a lard-ass.” Steve countered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re just jealous ‘cause there’s more Dustin for the ladies to love.” Dustin nodded, self assuredly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>El laughed uneasily, very much ready to leave this conversation. “I’ll be back soon with your orders.” She promised, turning back to the kitchen. On her way, however, she was stopped by an elderly man politely asking to place his order before she disappeared. As the sweet customer debated which eggs he’d like, El heard pieces of the conversation she had left float over to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, is she your new lady-friend?” She heard Steve ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, no way. She’s Mike’s roommate.” Dustin answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So? Have her over your place.” Steve advised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t get it,” Dustin elaborated, “Mike is head over heels for her. Like, mushy, gooey, hearts-for-eyes in love with her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mike Wheeler? Are you sure he was looking at her? Maybe she was holding up one of your geeky Knights-and-Dragons guides and you caught him looking her way.” Steve’s evident disbelief voicing El’s skepticism.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Dungeons and Dragons, Steve, and this isn’t some wayward glance. He came to me for advice, you know, he wanted my help with </span>
  <em>
    <span>matters of the heart</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Because he had all these </span>
  <em>
    <span>feelings</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve made another dig at Dustin’s supposed </span>
  <em>
    <span>expertise,</span>
  </em>
  <span> but El stopped listening. Mike had feelings for her. Feelings that drove him to confide in Dustin and ask for advice. Because he had romantic feelings for her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could feel the hive in her mind going into overdrive, pressing her to run home right this moment, and profess to him a Hollywood worthy confession of love. Luckily, the logical part of her brain reminded her that perhaps, she should first take this gentleman’s order, and then actually serve the food she had already promised? Maybe, she’d like to finish the shift at her </span>
  <em>
    <span>job</span>
  </em>
  <span>, which she </span>
  <em>
    <span>depended on</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and then go home like a level-headed adult?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes,</span>
  </em>
  <span> she concluded. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I should stay here, and calm down in the mean-time.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She forced herself to focus on her surroundings, giving her orders to the cook.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>El felt jittery, entering the apartment. She could feel her heart beating. She found Mike as per usual on Tuesdays, standing in the kitchen, making dinner. She couldn’t help but grin at the way he sang to himself, belting out the lyrics to the song playing on the radio. Mike caught her staring, smiling widely at her. He sang a few lines at her, using the wooden spoon as his microphone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“But you'll be glad baby when you've found, </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>that's the power that makes the world go 'round”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nodding his head to the beat, Mike dropped the spoon/microphone into the boiling spaghetti. As he shot El another smile, she realised this was her moment. Now or never, before she lost her nerve. She could do this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mike?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Strong start, solid</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Her thoughts mocked her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” Mike turned to her, giving El his full attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to.. Talk to you. About something important.” She could feel her heart flutter in anticipation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Okay, uh, shoot.” Mike chuckled nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’ve been thinking, since that night that we fell asleep… And I was wondering if… if maybe you had feelings, that were worth mentioning at this point?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike’s eyes were wide as saucers, his hands gesturing incoherently as he began a convoluted and stammered explanation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I, uh, you see, I thought that maybe since we’re so good together - good friends I mean, you know, we could explore other plains - an adventure of sorts, I know you don’t see yourself that way but you’re definitely adventurous, so we could explore - you know there are so many options these days, you really don’t need to feel pressured to adhere to any… expectations, because I don’t have any, but maybe it’d be nice to know what you expect of me, and I can act accordingly, and that way it would be - ”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>El surprised them both, choosing to put him out of his misery as he walked circles around himself. Grabbing his shirt, dragging him down to her height, El kissed him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At first, Mike was so shocked he could barely grasp reality as it was occurring. Quickly though, realising El’s soft lips were on his, </span>
  <em>
    <span>on purpose</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he returned the sentiment. Holding her close to him, he kissed her back. As she lowered herself back to the balls of her feet, Mike leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers with fervor, crushing her balled fists into his chest where they held onto his shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally breaking apart, Mike allowed her to lean back, keeping his arms around her back. Letting out a breathy sigh, he opened his eyes. She was smiling at him. He realised that the kiss was a statement. A declaration of sorts. And he needed to clarify its meaning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, uh, that was very much - thank you.” He stammered out. El giggled at his eloquence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does, what do you - um, what are you saying?” Mike felt like his brain’s activity had been dialed back to barely functioning, unable to construct a full sentence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It means… I’d like to feel like this more often. I’d like to feel this happy all the time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike felt like if he were to grin any wider his face might get stuck that way forever. Not that he minded feeling this way forever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can arrange that.” He leaned back in, kissing El gracefully this time, taking his time to cradle her head in his hands. He’d be happy to repeat his actions as long as she’d let him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Needless to say, El had to push him away once she remembered the pasta on the stove. She made it up to him later, of course.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's it folks!<br/>Here's some important stuff: The song Mike’s singing - The Power of Love by Huey Lewis. Listen for a literal bop to end this fic with.<br/>I thought I'd share some of my personal favorite Mileven fics on this occasion -<br/>Should I Stay or Should I Go? by soidade<br/>Don't Make Me Say Goodbye by kittenCorrosion<br/>All Sorts of Far Away by BinarySunrise<br/>Many The Miles by Lborealis<br/>and The Jump by Lborealis.<br/>Super welcome to check my companion pieces for this fic. Thank you for dedicating your time to my work :)</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and Kudos are a girl's best friend.<br/>Just kidding, we'll see about updates when inspiration strikes.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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